LOGAN — Utah Public Radio debuted TED Radio Hour’s first program March 4 called “The Unquiet Mind” which included conversations with some the world’s preeminent scholars and writers on mental illness. Exploring the murky line between sanity and madness, the program is an example of how TED Radio Hour blends unique storytelling techniques and evocative audio to create a compelling listening experience, a representative of UPR said.

Utah Public Radio is a service of Utah State University and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Utah Public Radio chose to begin airing the program, with new host Guy Raz, as a way of introducing fresh perspectives and creative programing to the station’s listening audience, said Kerry Bringhurst, UPR’s acting general manager. The new show features excerpts from the well-known TED stage, where some of the world’s best thinkers and innovators give the 18-minute “talk of their lives.”

The TED Radio Hour team takes the most compelling talks and organizes them around a common theme. Each week’s show is rounded out with innovative storytelling techniques and interviews with TED speakers, Bringhurst said.

Tom Williams, Utah Public Radio program director, believes the new addition to the program schedule will be a valuable asset to the UPR audience.

“When TEDx came to Logan’s Utah State University last November it built on the TED tradition and brought compelling information and intriguing ideas to the community,” he said. “I believe programs like TED Radio Hour enhance what USU and UPR represent. We will continue that legacy by incorporating TED Radio Hour into our weekly program schedule.”

Each episode of TED Radio Hour will turn an extraordinary idea inside out, using speakers from the TED stage as a jumping off point. With music and soundscapes, each episode takes listeners on a journey that may flip the listener’s perspective, Williams said.

The second episode of the 30-part season is “Peering Into Space,” airing Monday, March 11. Future topics to be explored in the coming weeks are mankind’s place in the universe, how the sounds around us affect our behavior and why there is power in failure.

“This show will help increase our understanding of the world, and will provide a valuable service to listeners across the state,” said Williams.

The show airs statewide each Monday at 10 a.m. For more on the program, see the Utah Public Radio website (upr.org).